Agreement

Gaza ceasefire and peace process, 2025-2026

A January 2025 ceasefire collapsed after two months; a further ceasefire under a US-proposed 20-point plan took effect in October 2025, with implementation of its later phases contested into 2026.

What happened

The Gaza Health Ministry reported a cumulative death toll rising over the course of the war, reaching figures in the range of approximately 70,000-73,000 by late 2025 and into 2026 according to figures relayed by UN OCHA and the UN-coordinated Health Cluster, which have stated they relay these figures without independently verifying them.[1]

On 15 January 2025, Israel and Hamas announced a ceasefire and hostage/prisoner-exchange agreement, taking effect 19 January 2025; its first phase provided for a temporary ceasefire and phased hostage and prisoner releases. On 18 March 2025, Israel resumed large-scale strikes, ending the ceasefire.[2]

In September 2025, the Trump administration proposed a 20-point plan for ending the war; a ceasefire under this plan took effect on 10 October 2025.[3] In mid-January 2026, US officials announced the start of "phase two" of the plan, though reporting found most of its goals had not yet been realized on the ground, with obstacles including Hamas's refusal to disarm.[4]

Sources for this page

Each number marks a specific claim. Notes give the source, its locator and how it relates to the claim.

  1. 1.

    Claim: The Gaza Health Ministry has reported a cumulative death toll in the Gaza Strip rising over the course of the war beginning 7 October 2023, reaching figures in the range of approximately 70,000-73,000 by late 2025 and into 2026 according to figures relayed by UN OCHA and the UN-coordinated Health Cluster; UN OCHA has stated that it relays these figures without independently verifying them or distinguishing between combatant and civilian deaths, and this bundle presents them as reported, contested figures rather than an independently verified count.

    • A Guide to the Gaza Peace Deal (Council on Foreign Relations) link, Casualty reporting section. Source record
  2. 2.

    Claim: On 15 January 2025, Israel and Hamas, through Qatari, Egyptian and US mediation, announced a ceasefire and hostage/prisoner-exchange agreement, which took effect 19 January 2025; its first phase provided for a temporary ceasefire, the release of 33 Israeli hostages, and the release of up to 2,000 Palestinian security prisoners and detainees. In the early hours of 18 March 2025, Israel resumed large-scale strikes on Gaza, ending the ceasefire; reported deaths on the first day of resumed strikes included at least 404 Palestinians.

    • January 2025 Gaza war ceasefire (Wikipedia) link, Agreement terms and collapse sections. Source record
  3. 3.

    Claim: In September 2025, the Trump administration proposed a 20-point plan for ending the Gaza war, including a ceasefire and hostage/prisoner exchange, phased Israeli withdrawal, deployment of an international stabilization force, establishment of an international "Board of Peace" chaired by Donald Trump, and a Palestinian governing authority for Gaza excluding Hamas; a ceasefire under this plan took effect on 10 October 2025 following Israeli cabinet approval.

    • A Guide to the Gaza Peace Deal (Council on Foreign Relations) link, Plan components section. Source record
  4. 4.

    Claim: In mid-January 2026, US officials announced the start of "phase two" of the 20-point plan, though reporting at that time found most of the plan's stated goals had not yet been realized on the ground, with obstacles including Hamas's refusal to disarm and disagreement over the composition of any post-war governing authority; this is the most recent development on the peace process found in the sources consulted for this bundle, and this bundle does not assess developments after mid-January 2026.

    • US declares phase two of Gaza ceasefire, but what did phase one deliver? (Al Jazeera) link, Phase two and obstacles sections. Source record

Source note

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